Lance Armstrong Labels UCI Chief Pat McQuaid 'Pathetic'

Lance Armstrong has spoken in public for the first time since his Oprah interview and labelled the International Cycling Union (UCI)'s chief Pat McQuaid "pathetic".

In an interview with Cycling News, Armstrong claimed McQuaid "wanted to hear nothing of" a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), set up after an inquiry into Armstrong's doping was disbanded yesterday.

When Floyd Landis confessed to using performance enhancing drugs in May 2010, he alleged the UCI had accepted a bribe from Armstrong to cover up an EPO positive after the 2001 Tour de Suisse. Armstrong denied the accusation when quizzed on it by Oprah but was critical of the UCI.

"The UCI has no place at the table [of the TRC]," Armstrong said. "A long time ago. When I was on speaking terms with ol' Pat McQuaid many, many months ago I said, 'Pat, you better think bold here. A full blown, global, TRC is our sports best solution.' He wanted to hear nothing of it."

Armstrong labelled McQuaid "pathetic" when asked about the supposed irony of the Dubliner's statement Armstrong had "no place" in cycling last year.

Reflecting on the Oprah interview two weeks ago, Armstrong said his children and former wife Kristin "loved" the tête-à-tête but was adamant he wasn't protecting the infamous Dr Michele Ferrari, who is serving a lifetime sports ban for numerous anti-doping offences.

"I wasn't 'protecting' anyone. I was there to speak about myself, my experiences, and my mistakes," Armstrong explained. "No one else. I know that goes against what we have grown used to in the last few years in cycling but I'm only interested in owning up to my mistakes. I'm a big boy and I'm not in the blame game."

McQuaid has been urged to resign from his position

Armstrong also maintained his belief doping was not considered as cheating in cycling during his era due to the culture that existed in past generations.

"My generation was no different than any other. The 'help' has evolved over the years but the fact remains that our sport is damn hard, the Tour was invented as a 'stunt, and very tough mother f**kers have competed for a century and all looked for advantages. From hopping on trains a 100 years ago to EPO now.

"No generation was exempt or 'clean'. Not Merckx, not Hinault, not LeMond, not Coppi, not Gimondi, not Indurain, not Anquetil, not Bartali, and not mine."